Winter Wonderland
by ChangedMyname
Summary: It's Christmas time at the loft and the gang is getting ready for a party at their place, but Jess dreams of snow in Los Angeles. Focuses mainly on Nick/Jess but also features the others
1. Chapter 1

K guys so this is my first story on here. It takes place at Christmastime and is focused on Nick/Jess but also shows the whole group. Let me know what you think and maybe I will post more.

Obviously I don't own anything from New Girl, so.

Christmastime in the loft was magical. Well, to Jess that is. It was Jess's favorite time of year. Everything about the holiday made her feel all cozy and content. It was a time where you got to give, and there was nothing more that Jessica Day loved more.

"Okay guys, I think you're really gonna love these gifts. After lasts years obvious success I thought to myself- what would make my boys really sparkle?" Jess asked out loud which made Nick emit an 'ew' face, while mouthing 'sparkle?'

"Now open them in synchronization" Jess instructed, as she placed their gifts in front of them, perfectly wrapped with red bows.

"We're not the Brady Bunch" Schmidt scoffed

"Yeah well I am obviously not doing that so" Nick ripped open the gift and Winston followed en suite. Schmidt, however, opened his neatly at the tape.

Jess yelled as she tried to snap photos with her phone, "This isn't creating the adorable photograph I had in mind!"

"OHHHHH YEAHHHHHHHH!" Nick yelled, holding up a Laser Tag set like a little kid on Christmas, showing his parents what he opened.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping for a pair of ice skates, but this will suffice" Schmidt said as he examined the gift.

"Oh man I am gonna take you boys to town with this!" Winston exclaimed, which resulted in Schmidt and Nick looking at him disgusted.

"Take us to town? What are you going to do with us?" Nick asked, grossed out.

"Do you guys like it?" Jess asked, beaming ear to ear. Nick's reaction especially made her happy. The most Nick usually reacted to gifts was a "Nice" and a slap on the back.

"Jess I can safely say this is the best gift I've ever received. And that's taking into account the year my mom bought me a wrench." Nick started to take out the Laser Tag gear.

"Let's do business boys!" He exclaimed as he fitted himself with the gear. "See Winston? That was how to sound bad-ass and not weird"

Jess smiled as she watched them all try on their gear. She watched Nick beaming like a child on Christmas day and she couldn't help laughing softly to herself. She rarely ever saw him like this, and knowing she caused it made her kind of ecstatic. That didn't mean anything though. She was just proud of herself for making the grumpiest guy alive really happy. It was an accomplishment was all. Or so she said.

**They **were getting ready for their Christmas Party at their loft. Instead of Schmidt's work party, which was a disaster last time, Jess insisted on having their own party at their place. She also insisted on it being themed, because a party without a theme is, as she put it, a "Jerry without its Tom". The theme she chose was "Holiday stars" which meant everyone had to dress as their favorite Christmas character from a television show or movie.

She had just finished setting the garland along the windows, and now just stood staring outside. She loved Los Angeles, it was aesthetically beautiful and the weather was amazing….but she also always dreamed of a white Christmas. She had experienced snow only once before when she visited Colorado to see her Aunt. It was the most magical serene thing she had ever seen, and when watching all these Christmas movies, snow always made it that much more cozy. In the movies it always seemed so snug when the characters had their significant other to enjoy the crisp weather with and watch the snowfall. She had neither snow nor a boyfriend to enjoy.

Nick noticed her staring kind of sad and longingly outside. He set down the cups he was pretending to set up and walked over to her and leaned against the wall

"You okay?" he asked, as he put his hands in his pockets

Jess continued to stare outside, "Did it ever snow in Chicago on Christmas?"

Nick nodded, "It always snows in Chicago. It was awful"

Jess looked over at him "Snow isn't awful. You're awful, idiot!"

Nick looked surprised and widened his eyes "Woah there!" he exclaimed, "Do you even know what happens in snow? Snow is water! Water soaks things! It makes you wet and cold and angry. You know who made snow? The devil. It was his plan to turn people into wet cold human popsicles"

"The devil?! The devil is in charge of fire, Nick. Haven't you ever seen 'Year Without a Santa Clause?!' " She yelled back

"The devil isn't in that movie! And for the record, snow miser is even crueler than heat miser. It is a common misconception that heat miser is worse, Jess!"

They were at it again. Arguing about things that kindergartners would maybe argue about, but not 30-year-olds. Winston was trying to cover his ears with his shoulders as he set up lights around the loft but he could still hear Nick and Jess yelling. He dropped the lights and was going to his room for some peace and quiet until the yelling stopped when Schmidt came out of his room and blocked his way.

"Hey, what'dya think homes?" he asked as he stood in tight booty-like shorts and a crown tilted slightly on his head, the Star of David also adorned around his neck

Winston stood horrified. "What? What is this?"

"I'm one of the three wise-men, foo' " he said as he opened his arms in a 'come get me' way.

"The wise men have clothes on man!"

"Not when they are trying to get a certain lady back. That's called wise" he smirked and looked down at his attire, or lack there of. "Also gotta represent my heritage" he held up his bling, the Star of David.

Winston turned back around, "Where am I?" he whispered to himself as he walked back to the main room where the yelling ceased. He looked over and saw Nick and Jess talking civilly again. Those two were a constant rollercoaster, he thought as he rolled his eyes.

"Look Jess, all I am saying is you don't need snow. The weather here is perfect! I can go outside right now, on December 23rd, in my underwear, and just walk up and down the street if I wanted! I mean I'd get the cops called on me for indecent exposure, but I can still do it is my point" he said, causing her to laugh slightly. He smiled when she laughed. He liked when he could make her laugh when she is down. He considered it a feat only he could accomplish.

She folded her arms and looked outside "I guess. It'd be nice to have a white Christmas, though"

He nodded as he looked at her. He then looked back to the loft, which was slowly starting to look like a winter wonderland. "Come on, let's finish decorating," he said as he put his hand on the small of her back.

She looked at him and smiled softly before turned around and getting back to work

**"Come** on Jess! You're the one who made us do this stupid party!" Nick yelled. They party was about to start and Jess was still getting ready.

"Yeah come on! I have been in my costume for hours now!" Schmidt yelled

"Which is completely unnecessary and uncomfortable by the way", Nick said as he turned to him

"My body is very sensitive to spandex. If I don't give it hours to let things …settle down there then we'd have a catastrophe on our hands, Nicholas" Schmidt spat. "And what the hell are you? Mr. Rogers?"

Nick looked at him like he was an oblivious idiot. He had on a red sweater and khakis. "I'm Kevin from Home Alone, ya dummy"

"Please come out now so I don't have to hear this" Winston pleaded

"Okkaaaaaay" Jess's voice traveled down the hall. "Taaaa-daaaaa!" She exclaimed as she came out in a spandex elf outfit. "I'm Jodie from Elf. People say I look like her" she laughed and put up her hands "I don't see it"

Nicks eyes bugged out "Wowaaaaa wooooowie" he said in a Borat-impression

"Despite Nick's dated reference, I must agree" Schmidt added, and Winston piped in agreeing as well.

Jess blushed a little, "Thanks guys. Nick, are you Bill Cosby?"

"I'm Kevin McCallister! Seriously? Come on!" he yelled

"Way to limit yourself, Miller" Jess teased. "Schmidt, nice sexy wise man" she complimented

Nick raised his hands defeated and in disbelief.

"Thank you" Schmidt smiled confident.

"Winston, you really out did yourself. Well done. I am very glad you got into the spirit of the theme" she nodded at him and Winston bowed.

The bell then rang and Jess ran to the door to greet her first guest.

**2 hours** passed and the loft was filled with friends and co-workers.

Nick was making himself a drink, avoiding people as much as possible when he spotted Jess talking to someone from across the room. He couldn't help but stare. She looked really good. He had already confronted his occasional attraction to her, so he didn't think it was wrong to admire her from a far. He liked that outfit. The blonde wig he could do without, liking her brunette hair more, but it was a sexy change. She then turned and caught his eye and smiled and waved. He snorted a little with laughter and put his hand in the air to signify a wave back.

"Hey" he heard a voice and looked up to see a sloppy man dressed as a weird version of Santa, who was quite large and unkempt.

"Uh, hi" Nick replied

"You know Ms. Day?"

Nick looked at him confused. "Jess?"

"Ms. Day. Yeah"

The man's voice was really monotone and he was so nasally Nick couldn't concentrate on anything but that. It then hit him that this must be one of Jess's adult students in her creative writing course

"Oh, you take Jess's class"

"Yeah. She's hot"

"Haven't even greeted me yet but I guess we are just jumping right on into it" Nick said

"Well you were staring at her pretty hard. You her boyfriend?" he asked as he breathed through his mouth

Nick quickly replied, "What? No. No. And I wasn't staring big guy, I was staring at the wall behind her. Been keeping an eye on this crack on the wall that I'm scared will continue to crack and break the infrastructure of the loft" he bullshitted, not even sure if that made sense.

"I'm not an idiot. I take creative writing, ya know"

This guy's monotone speech was ridiculous. "Yeah and I write too. Wrote a little novel called Z for Zombies so don't try and out-smart me pal cause I'll come out so much more smarter" he started to defend himself now.

"I write romance novels. And this is typical boy likes girl, girl doesn't know, guy isn't sure if he knows it-" he sneezed loudly, cutting himself off.

Nick jumped back, his arms up to avoid the spray. This dude won the award of grossest man of the night. "Agh! Give a guy some warning before blasting that horn, man!"

The guy sniffled and snorted before continuing, "Anyway, you're probably her friend or something if you aren't her boyfriend. You're the friend who hasn't realized he wants more. The friend she lives with" he finished and then added, "I now have great material for my novel. Thanks". He then walked away back into the crowd like a giant weirdo

"You don't have my permission to do that! That's a little something called libel, pal! If it was true that is! But it isn't! Annnnnd he can't even hear me and I am still talking" Nick then said to himself.

Nick was then left alone. He mulled over what that weirdo said. Did he like Jess more than a friend? Was he the guy who just has been in denial the whole time? He then scoffed. Why was he listening to some crazy dude from a creative writing class? It was ridiculous.

He then looked back up to see Jess sitting in a chair by herself, staring into her cup. He immediately pushed passed people, making his way to her. He finally reached her and he kneeled down "Hey"

She looked up sadly from her cup "Hey"

"What's goin' on?" he asked softly, leaning his head down so he could try and see her face

She glanced back up at him to meet his warm eyes. "It's just….I was lonely so had been texting Sam this past week. He texted me first so I thought maybe he was re-thinking things. But I was wrong" she sniffled and looked back down

Nick hated seeing her about to cry. He didn't push her to reveal anything else, knowing it would just upset her more. He'd ask more about it another time.

"I just-" She started to continue, knowing Nick was always there to listen. "I think I have this whole romantic idea of the holiday season. To be with someone you love and celebrate together. Instead it always seems to be a blaring reminder that I have no one", her voice cracked a little.

"You have someone" he responded gently, "Maybe not the kind of person you're looking for but you do"

She looked up at him and gave him a weak teary smile

He sighed and stood up, holding out his hand "Okay. I was gonna wait till the end of the night to give you your present but come on"

She looked up at him confused. She then grabbed his hand and stood up, "Where are we going?"

"Everybody go to the roof now!" he yelled, but it was too loud for anyone to hear. He still held onto her hand and walked over to the stereo and turned it off. "EVERYONE TO THE ROOF NOW! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!"

Everyone looked scared now. Nick realized his mistake in making it seem like an emergency

"Not in like, a scary way but in a fun way!" he yelled. He then looked to Jess and squeezed her hand before leading them all to the roof stairwell. He stopped on the top step before the closed door and turned around, letting go of Jess's hand. He wasn't going to lie, her hand was nice and warm and small and was kinda cool to hold. Didn't mean anything though.

"Okay so I know it is cramped and hot in this stairwell but I need ya to give me like 30 solid seconds and then you can come out. I really appreciate your commitment guys in this, so if you all wait 30 sec-"

"My god just go already! I'm sweating my falafels off in here!" Schmidt yelled

"Fair enough. 30 seconds. Honor code guys" he said before opened the door and closing it.

Jess stood there, her heart fluttering in anticipation. She didn't know what to expect. Did he have a giant teddy bear on the roof that was too big to fit into the apartment? Was it Santa? Obviously not the real Santa but still!

"This Ebenezer Scrooge robe isn't made for this environment" Winston claimed

"Okay lets call it 30 seconds already!" CeCe yelled

"No! We have to give Nick time! Honor Code, CeCe" Jess exclaimed as she looked at her watch, counting down. The guests were all mumbling and complaining but she ignored them. As soon as it hit 30 seconds she put her hand on the knob nervously and slowly opened the door.

As soon as she opened the door she felt a cold sensation hit her face. She put her hand to her cheek and then looked up. It was snowing. It was actually snowing actual snow. Cold snow. Not little felt flakes but actual frozen flakes.

"Woah! Sa-now son!" Schmidt yelled

The guests were just as excited as they ran around the roof catching snowflakes and yelling in excitement.

Jess just stood there, looking up at the falling flakes, a large smile now across her face. She then closed her eyes and put out her arms, spinning. Once she stopped she opened her eyes and saw Nick, standing on top of one of the door entrances with a huge machine at his side spraying the snow. She met his eyes and smiled one of the most appreciative smiles of her life.

He hopped off the door entrances and walked over to her

"H-how?" she asked, still in disbelief as snow fell around her

"This idiot regular at my bar works on movies and I remembered how they have these props that create snow so I asked him if there was anyway he could lead me to find one" he shrugged. "You should be thankful to live in Los Angeles where movie dummies are everywhere"

She gave a soft laugh and he smiled back at her. As he looked at her he felt this weird warm feeling, even though he was pretty cold despite the McCallister sweater. He licked his lips, which had suddenly gone dry

"Nick…" she whispered "This is the…this is the best gift I've ever received. And that's taking into account the time I got the My Little Pony gift set"

"So last year?" he joked

She laughed and then leaned in, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly, burrowing her head into the crook of his neck. "Thank you" she murmured into his neck

Her breath tickled his neck and felt nicer than he would like to admit.

The weirdo writer from before watched them from afar "Yeah, this is definitely going into my book"


	2. New Years

Thanks for the reviews guys! I am still trying to navigate this site and figure it out so excuse any errors. I also changed my username as you can see, appropriately named "ChangedMyUsername" just so you now know.

Anyways I had this and the first chapter written. I may write more, I don't know yet. Anyways, enjoy and review

Again, it's obvious I don't own anything

**It was New **Years Eve, and Jessica Day was excited. She loved the idea of "wiping the slate clean with a new year"; even though it didn't do anything like that.

"New Years Eve is stupid. It's just an excuse to get drunk and party," Nick grumbled as Jess went on about their plans for New Years.

"So you think we should just not celebrate the coming of a new year?" Jess asked like he was crazy

"Yes, exactly"

"Well I for one love New Years" Schmidt piped in smiling, "Because it's an excuse to get drunk and party"

Winston sat down with his cereal bowl to join the conversation. "I just need to get back on the dating scene again, and New Years is the only night it is acceptable to ask a stranger 'Kiss at midnight'?"

"In all fairness pal you did a variation of that to a girl last week at the bar. But instead I think it was, 'let me love you'," Nick then did his loud Nick laugh and pointed at Winston.

Jess put her hand out and pushed Nick's pointing finger down, as Winston yelled at him to shut up. "Hey! Enough!" Jess yelled. "Do not ruin one of my favorite times of year!"

"You have like 20 favorite times of year. You almost have 2 a month," Nick argued

"That's true. I mean Fourth of July AND Flag Day are labeled as favorites of yours. That is just excessive" Schmidt reasoned.

"Excuse me for recognizing the birth of our nation's flag!" she yelled. "So anyway, we're all going to Nick's bar tonight right? I mean Nick's going to be there cause he's working" she put her hand on his shoulder "But everyone else is in right?"

"I donno. I think a club better suits my desires. Dancing-check. Honeys-check. Celebrities-check and mate. And by mate, I mean with me" Schmidt said, as he winked.

"Jar" Nick responded and pointed over his shoulder

Schmidt got up annoyed and put a $20 in the jar.

"Cece will be at the bar," Jess enticed, which had Schmidt respond with an unconvincingly "so?" Jess gave him a 'come on' look and Schmidt caved and agreed.

"Fine. I suppose I can mingle with the laymen for one night"

Winston also agreed that he is in and Jess smiled. "Yay!" she cheered, "Besides, my mystery gentleman lover is supposed to meet me there near around midnight"

Nick looked up from his mug. Mystery gentleman lover? He hadn't heard of this before now. He was still in massive denial about his feelings, even after the whole winter wonderland surprise. Things were nice the past week following his nice gift on Christmas. Him and Jess bickered a lot less and Jess, although always pleasant to him, was extra sweet. She did little things all week that were just…well nice. She always made extra coffee for him; she let him watch his sports and even sat and watched some games with him even though she wasn't too into sports. And he was just as nice back, which was a bit more rare.

Now things had sore of tapered back to the norm, and every once in a while they would bicker. You couldn't stop the natural order of things after all.

"Mystery lover?" Winston asked, somewhat hesitantly. He wasn't sure he wanted to know

Jess smiled, "Well. I didn't want to jinx it, but a couple of days ago I got this random text. It was very flirty and mama bear couldn't help but want some honey"

"Blechhhh," Nick couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Despite that repulsive analogy, what did this guy say?" Schmidt asked

"Well we sorta just flirted back and forth. And then he mentioned The Prince (Nick's bar) and meeting up on New Years Eve there near around midnight. It's like A Cinderella Story"

"A completely appropriate movie to look up to when you're 30-years-old" Nick chided

Jess glared at him angrily "Don't be such an ass"

"I'm just stating truths. And this guy just texts you after the party outta nowhere? Why didn't he have the guts to approach you like a man at the party? It sounds like the guy is just a creep who doesn't know how to talk to girls"

She was annoyed now. "Why can't you just be nice for once? Ever since Sam, no one's wanted to…tap this like a snare drum" she motioned to her body

"Yeah I'm outta here" Nick stood up and walked away to his room

"Don't listen to Grumplestiltskin over there, Jess. I'd love to Chad Michael Murray a girl one day myself. Always been a dream of mine" Schmidt lifted his cup signifying 'cheers' and sipped his orange juice.

"Why does he always have to be so negative about my possible love connections? Not every guy I am interested in is a jerk. Unlike him. He's the jerk. A big buttfaced…grumpy….manchild!" she yelled so he could hear. She looked back to the boys, pleased with her insult

"Nice" Winston said sarcastically. "I wouldn't take it too personally, Jess. Nick's a grumpy guy. He's a bitter old grandpa type. He's the type who will calls the cops on kids who step foot on his lawn when he's older. It's just how he is"

"He actually did that a couple weeks ago. Kid didn't see it comin' " Schmidt shook his head

"Yeah well it gets old. He could try to be happy for me for once"

Nick and Schmidt didn't say anything. They never spoke to each other about it, like girls would, but they had suspicions Nick liked Jess. It seemed sort of obvious to everyone but Jess and Nick himself. Especially after his Christmas gift, they knew it had to be true. The most energy Nick usually puts into gifts is going up and down the food aisle in the grocery store and picking out a frozen food they may enjoy. And usually it was a food they didn't even enjoy.

They were interrupted by Jess's phone vibrating. She looked down. "It's the guy," she whispered excitedly. "He said 'can't wait to see you tonight sexy'. What should I say back?" she asked them

"Take it from me. Write 'Why wait till tonight, let's rustle some sheets up now' " Schmidt advised

"As a man and a human being, I urge you to never write that" Winston told her quickly

"Hmmm" she thought to herself, crinkling her mouth. She finally started writing and reading it allowed as she typed "Can't wait to kiss you on the mouth with my mouth"

Winston and Schmidt each made a 'yikes' face. "Yeah well let me know how that one shakes out Jess" Schmidt said as he walked to go to his room and Winston got up as well.

"Okay guys! I'll keep you updated, don't worry!" She yelled after them.

**They** were all ready to leave for the bar at 8 that night. Nick was already on shift since 6, always working New Years. He hated the noise and idiots but the money in tips was incredible.

Jess was dressed in a tight black dress and a small tiny gold hat on her head tilted to the side that read 'Happy New Years!'.

"I'm ready," she said as she walked out to the waiting boys. "Now, I each got us some party blowers to blow at midnight. Or if one of us gets separated in the crowded bar, we each can blow one" she demonstrated the ear shattering party blower, "and then we can follow the noise to find one another" she then handed them one.

"I don't see any holes in that plan at all" Schmidt said sarcastically as they all walked out

**"Hey! **Everytime you drool on the bar you gotta pay extra pal!" Nick yelled at an already plastered patron. He then turned to see his friends pushing their way to the bar

"Jeez, it's packed tighter in here than my boys in my briefs" Schmidt commented

Nick made his disgusted face and immediately held out his tip jar "This is your jar tonight, man. Pay up cause that visual will slowly kill me"

Schmidt angrily put in $10 dollars. "At least get me a vodka tonic ya heathen" Schmidt retorted.

Nick looked to Winston for his order, which was a rum and coke, then begrudgingly looked to Jess. He caught site of her outfit and made his brain ignore it, staring at her eyes only.

She glared back since he was giving her a dirty look for no good reason. "Pink wine"

All he did was nod and walk away to get their drinks. "He has no right to be such a jerk. Watch, when he gives me my pink wine, I am totally gonna spill some on the counter for him to clean" she smirked rebelliously

"Woah tiger, get back in that cage" Schmidt teased, just as Nick returned with their drinks.

Jess smirked at them "Watch guys. Watch" she said as she started to tilt her glass over the counter. At the last second she stopped "I can't I can't. I'd feel too bad"

Winston nodded "That was almost so bad ass"

She smiled and took his arm, "Come on guys, lets go have fun. It's impossible to have fun around here with Grumplestiltskin"

"Hey that's what- you heard me say that this morning. You heard that right Winston?" Schmidt asked as they disappeared into the crowd

Nick was serving others busily but looked up to see the gang walking to find a booth. He sighed, and quickly went back to serving. He didn't know why he was being so bitter and cold to Jess right now.

**It was 11:30** and Jess kept looking at her phone. She hadn't heard from her anonymous secret admirer since he texting her that morning. She would be lying if she said she wasn't slightly nervous.

"Jess stop shaking your leg. I feel like I'm on a vibrating bed minus the arousal," Schmidt complained at the booth they were sitting at.

"What if he doesn't show? Or worse, what if he does show and isn't the sexy goddess he thought he had been texting"

"Believe me, those texts conjured up a more Aunt Bea-like figure not a sexy goddess" Schmidt told her. "But seriously, relax. He'll show. What does he look like?"

"He said he was going to have a red rose on his jacket and would be wearing a gold tie," she said as she lifted her head, scanning the crowd

"Is that him?" Winston pointed

"Oh my god. Yes…..it's that cute guy from our Christmas party! He is friends with Sadie!" she exclaimed. "How do I look?" She asked them

"How much do you love that tiny hat?" Schmidt asked cringing

"A lot!"

"Then I guess you're good to go"

She smiled and stood up, making her way to the guy whose name she couldn't remember. "Hey"

He turned around and smiled, "Hey" he looked her up and down. "Wow you look…..incredible" he said and Jess blushed a little. "I'm Zach, Sadie's friend"

"Yeah hey. I'm Jess, but you knew that so" she laughed way too loud out of nervousness "Anyywayyyyys nice to meet you. Again. I think I sorta met you at the Christmas party but it wasn't really a formal meeting. I think I may have sang Christmas carols in your vicinity that night but that doesn't really count as meeting. I mean I never really introduced myself" she couldn't stop talking and realized how much she just rambled. "Annnyywayyyy" she sang

He stared at her, a little weirded out. "Uh yeah. Can I get you a drink?"

"PINK WINE!" she yelled really loud, even for a loud bar. "Sorry I don't know why I screamed that as loud as I did. It felt like I had a monster coming out of me there for a second. Not a scary monster but a cute one, like ET I guess. Although he's an alien so-ha ha ha!" she was losing it. She was so nervous and it was taking a weird Jess turn that didn't make any sense whatsoever. Did she just talk about ET possibly being inside of her and screaming?

He just looked at her, laughed nervously and said, "Okayy, well I'll just go get that drink," he pointed behind him then turned around and made his way to the bar.

Nick had saw part of their interaction and figured this was the guy. This was her mystery dude lover or whatever she said. He gave him a dirty look when he got to the bar "Jack on the rocks" he ordered. Nick, annoyed, got him the drink and slammed it on he counter

"Easy man!" Zach yelled as it splashed a little.

"Anything else?" Nick asked

"Nope" Zach replied as he downed the Jack.

Nick looked up and through the crowd to see Jess still waiting in the same spot she met Zach. "Nothing else?"

Zach stayed at the bar still. "I said no man! Aren't you busy with other people?" he asked annoyed

Nick leaned into the bar, "Shouldn't you be getting back to your date over there?"

Zach looked at him oddly, "How do you know-?" he started to question but then shook his head "No. Not anymore. That chick is just weird" he scoffed and asked for another drink

"Weird?" Nick asked, finding his jaw clicking since he was clenching it so hard. Sure Jess was weird. She was super weird. Uncomfortably weird, sometimes. But so was he so he couldn't judge too harshly. It was his scoff he didn't like

"Yeah weird. I thought her texts were just supposed to be funny or something. Chick is just weird. And I can tell she is a clinger. I just wanted have sex- know what I mean?" he said and then asked again, "Can I get another jack?"

Nick felt himself raging. "Not a chance in hell" he shook his head trying to keep his cool since he was technically at work. He leaned closer to the guy "Look pal, I'm gonna keep things as civil as possible. That girl you were talkin' to- yeah she's my friend. So here's what you're gonna do my man" he put his elbows on the counter "You are going to make yourself so repulsive to her that she denies you. This way she isn't upset and you look like the idiot"

Zach laughed, "Why the hell would I do that?"

Nick smiled "Cause if ya don't I'll kick your goony little ass" he spat

Zach didn't look too worried and laughed a little "I'll take my chances"

Nick then looked to his friend, the security guard Eddie. "Hey Eddie we got a situation over here!" Eddie was a 300 lb, 6'5" beefy dude.

"What is it Nick?" he asked. Nick was buddies with Eddie, having been there for 3 years together. Nick took Eddie's arm and told him, away from Zach

"Hey look man, can you just look super angry for a second? There's a dirtbag over there that I need to scare" he asked

Eddie, dumb but sweet, nodded. Nick patted his arm and thanked him as he walked back to Zach and leaned on the counter "My buddy Eddie over there said if you don't do what I say, he'll rip your arms off and beat you like a piñata. Ain't that right Eddie ol' buddy ol' pal?" he yelled to him and Eddie did as he was told. He flexed and made his face go red and looked seriously scary. "Jeez. Guy doesn't mess around", Nick whispered to himself before turning back around to Zach. "So, what is it?"

Zach looked seriously scared at this point. He stood up nervously "Fine. Fine okay. What- What do I say to her to turn her off?"

"K Eddie, we're good for now pal, call you if I need you!" Nick yelled to Eddie who nodded before walking back to position.

"Here's what you do", Nick instructed. "Say you hate animals, say you don't believe in higher education, talk about how you hate those commercials of the starving kids because you hate charity, also burp a lot. She hates that. Oh and talk about hating your mom" he suggested.

Zach nodded and quickly walked back over to Jess. Nick wanted to watch the scene unfold but he had so many people to serve.

**At 11:50** Jess walked back to the bar where Nick was quickly giving people their drinks before the ball dropped. He saw Jess at the counter and told one of the bartenders he had to take a 10-minute break. "But dude it's busy!" she argued. "Take 20 bucks from my tip jar" he said and she sighed and agreed as he walked over to Jess.

"Hey" he said as he put down a pink wine.

"So you were right. He was a total jerky creep" she exclaimed and thanked him for the wine as she downed it. "You know what he said to me?! He said he thinks that starving kids and his mother don't deserve love. Who says that?" she asked

"That is…..really weird" Nick said, not knowing the guy would combine all that he told him into one thing. "Anyways, I donno, he sounds like an asshole" he said and leaned on the counter. "Look Jess, you just have to wait for the right guy. A guy not embarrassed to come up to you at a party. A guy who can't wait to get up and flirt with you like a real man"

She looked at him strangely for a second and smiled a little confused "huh" she said to herself

"What?" Nick asked, smiling confused

"Uh nothing" she said and shook her head. "Nothing"

"…Okay" he said suspiciously before getting her another pink wine

"Of course now I have no one to kiss at midnight," she said sadly as she lifted the glass to her lips and took a sip, looking at him over the rim. So maybe she had too much pink wine tonight.

He felt a strange vibe coming off her, and he didn't know what to make of it. "Well..you can join my dry streak at the midnight kiss. It's been 3 years now and goin' strong" he said.

She smiled a little. "Guess it's just you and me then, Miller"

"Winston and Schmidt have someone to kiss?" he asked

She nodded "Winston found a drunk girl and the asking to kiss at midnight thing actually worked on her. And Schmidt and CeCe are currently making out which I feel will last until way after midnight" she said

"CeCe and Schmidt, huh?"

"Yeah they are both drunk and couldn't deny their feelings I guess" she shrugged

"Huh" he said and nodded.

"I'm just sick of being single on these holidays. First Christmas and now New Years. I haven't been able to get one guy! The one who I did get turned out to hate moms, college, and puppies"

"What a monster"

"I know" she exclaimed and finished her 5th pink wine of the night. "Still would be nice, ya know? Being single is starting to suck," she said, now a little sad.

"Believe me I know," he said and sighed. "Every girl that is even interested in me, I end up screwing everything up. I haven't had a girlfriend since Julia which was over a year ago" he looked down, pretending to wipe the counter. Truth is he was lonely as hell and didn't like to think about it.

Jess saw she had no sufficiently bummed him out. Now she felt bad. Her dumb Debbie downer-ness now made him all down. She could get over her sulking fairly quickly, when Nick gets to sulking it is weeks on end depression.

Nick then heard people counting down from 60 and he looked at the clock to see it was 11:59. "Aw come on?! Why are we starting the countdown earlier and earlier each year?!" he screamed.

Jess looked at him all moody now and felt guilty. She bit her lip softly as she watched him serve some people around him real quickly but obviously now thinking about how he has been single for a year. All of a sudden she heard "10, 9, 8, 7…."

"6, 5, 4"

"Hey Nick!" She yelled over the noise

He turned around after sliding a drink to someone "Huh?"

She grabbed his face when everyone was screaming 1, and pulled his face quickly to hers before pressing her lips into his.

"Happy New Year!" everyone screamed around them, although Nick's head was spinning so fast he didn't really hear anyone.

She felt him kiss back, grabbing the back of her head and turning the sweet little new years kiss into an actual full-blown kiss. She felt her cheeks get hot with embarrassment as she pulled back. She was breathing heavily, looking at him with her confused big blue eyes, and him looking back with his somber brown ones.

"Happy New Year, Nick" she said, finally speaking

"Happy New Year, Jess"


End file.
